Kyiv
More than just a nightclub, Closer is a bohemian tour de force that epitomises Kyiv's emergence as a hub of creativity and counterculture. Heavily…
Must-see nightlife in Eastern Europe
Moscow
There is little to say about this misleadingly unassuming bar, apart from the fact that everything in it is close to perfection. It has it all – prime…
Lviv
The latest addition to Lviv's drinking scene is this dramatically industrial, multistorey beer temple right on pl Rynok. The master brewer here creates…
Kyiv
Kyiv's best bar is set in an intimate basement space on vibrant vul Shota Rustaveli. No pretensions, no strict feiskontrol (face control), just an…
Kyiv
Pink Freud reckons it can cure you with quality cocktails. It may be right: its talented mixologists have created an original drink for every mood and…
Lviv
It's easy to find this one-drink bar – just look for the crowd of people on pl Rynok holding tiny glasses of something crimson, any time of the day. The…
Belgrade
Throughout history Lower Dorćol, with dozens of Jewish and Turkish stores, has had a special relationship with coffee. It’s no wonder that the tradition…
Kyiv
Billing itself as a 'theatre cafe' (due to its proximity to the playhouses on nearby pl Ivana Franka), this place is an arty delight. It's all scuffed…
Belgrade
Indie-music lovers will feel right at home with carefully selected playlists of resident and guest DJs at Zaokret. Thematic evenings, occasional gigs and…
Belgrade
This is the HQ of Serbia's Association of Bartenders, a fact made evident after one sip of any of the sublime cocktails (515RSD to 1165RSD) on offer. With…
Lviv
Pick of the bunch on pl Katedralna, with no theme, no gimmicks, just a focus on Lviv's best coffee-making traditions (hence it's always packed with locals…
Bucharest
A garden oasis hidden behind the Cărtureşti bookshop, serving standard-issue but excellent espresso drinks and some of the most inspired iced-tea and…
Belgrade
Retro, run-down and loads of fun, this alternative splav (river-barge nightclub) is named for Belgrade's map coordinates. Open year-round, it has become…
Kyiv
This indie cafe at the back of the House of Scientists has a creative atmosphere, excellent coffee and a strong wi-fi connection – a perfect spot to plant…
Dubrovnik
The more upmarket and slick of two cliff bars pressed up against the seaward side of the city walls. This one is lower on the rocks and has a shaded…
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Skopje
The siren call of tasty craft beer sings to locals and tourists alike at Skopje's only microbrewery, which is justifiably popular for its Weiss beer, IPA,…
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St Petersburg
A charming multiroom 'free space' that has started a worldwide trend, Ziferblat is the original anticafe in St Petersburg. Coffee, tea, soft drinks and…
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St Petersburg
Stopping in for drinks at Commode feels more like hanging out in an upper-class friend's stylish apartment. After getting buzzed up, you can hang out in…
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St Petersburg
One of St Petersburg's best drinking dens, Redrum hits all the right notes. It has a cosy, white brick interior, a welcoming, easygoing crowd, and a…
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Belgrade
If you want an authentic Serbian Friday-night experience, this wildly popular (reserve several days ahead) kafana (tavern) in Zvezdara has it all:…
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St Petersburg
The Union is a glamorous and fun place, characterised by one enormous long wooden bar, low lighting and a New York feel. It's all rather adult, with a…
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Zadar
With slick, eccentric, semi-industrial decor, a bar with a line of hams and garlic hanging above, Portuguese-style tiles and a welcoming, open-to-the…
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Sarajevo
Sit in the intimate fountain courtyard of an Ottoman-era building sipping Bosnian coffee, juniper or rose sherbet, or herb-tea infusions while nibbling…
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Tirana
Named for the owner's collection of antique Albanian radios, Radio is an eclectic dream with decor that includes vintage Albanian film posters, deep-1950s…
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Ohrid
This unassuming little jazz-themed bar sways to a different rhythm than the strip of bars down on Ohrid's lakefront, with an alternative vibe, a distinct…
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Pristina
'Day and night', a bookshop-cafe-bar-performance space, is a home away from home for bookish expats and locals alike. There's a great selection of books…
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Tirana
Styled as a cafe-museum, this little bohemian place looks like a flea market. Every spare centimetre is crammed with communist-era relics, farming…
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Sarajevo
Sedate and outwardly grand, the tiny and eccentric 'Golden Fish' adds understated humour to a cosy treasure trove of antiques and kitsch, reflected in big…
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Vilnius
This intimate little cocktail bar with velvet bar stools runs with a globe-roaming theme, with each of their nine cocktails (changing every month) driven…
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Lithuania
Imagine you're on a date with a vampire. This is exactly the sort of place the stylish undead would take you to: dark wood and leather banquettes, black…
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St Petersburg
The wonderfully retro-feeling Hat is a serious spot for jazz and whisky lovers, who come for the nightly live music and the cool-cat crowd that make this…
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Vladivostok
This exceptionally well-stocked and stylish place right by the seafront offers cocktails and a small but tantalising bar menu as well as wine by the glass…
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Belarus
Homel's best bar is down by the river in the basement of Provence restaurant. DJs, live music and vinyl nights ensure a lively crowd every night of the…
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Kaunas
A heavy-rock soundtrack, black walls and Kaunas' best craft beer is what Genys Taproom is all about. There are nine or 10 house brews on tap, from the…
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Latvia
A legendary music venue across the Baltics, there is live music almost every night in this former port warehouse. The never-closing bar extends over two…
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Vladivostok
This fabulous cocktail lounge is a low-lit and beautifully set-out space, with a gorgeous wooden bar and gloriously comfortable sofas and chairs to lounge…
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Constanţa
Worth a trip to admire the stunning steampunk-inspired interior of tiles and colours and big bar built from stacks of pulped paperback books. Great coffee…
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Minsk
The haphazard look is very much by design at this brick-walled hipster hangout on vul Kastrychnitskaya. Belly up to the recycled-wood bar, play table…
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Split
Fittingly, the 15th-century Gothic home of the 'Dante of Croatia', Marko Marulić, now houses this wonderful little 'library jazz bar' made up of small…
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Chişinău
More than a club, this intimate basement venue might better be described as a multifaceted counterculture haven. DJs are the norm, but on any given night…
